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Wasim Jaffer resignation row: Uttarakhand CM orders inquiry
Uttarakhand CM Rawat ordered the inquiry after meeting the officials of CAU at his official residence in Dehradun at the weekend.
Amid the row following former India opening batsman Wasim Jaffer’s resignation as Uttarakhand state cricket team coach with an office-bearer of Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) accusing him of “communal bias”, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat ordered an inquiry on Monday.
Rawat ordered the inquiry after meeting the officials of CAU at his official residence in Dehradun at the weekend.
Darshan Singh Rawat, media coordinator for CM, said: “On Saturday evening, CM had met a few officials of CAU at his residence who apprised him of the matter. After listening to them, he ordered an inquiry in the whole matter. Once the inquiry report comes, he would take the required action.”
He did not give details on who would conduct the inquiry.
The development comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on the episode. “In the last few years, hate has been normalised so much that even our beloved sport cricket has been marred by it. India belongs to all of us. Do not let them dismantle our unity,” he tweeted.
Jaffer resigned on February 8 citing “interference and bias of selectors and CAU office-bearers in team selection and promoting non-deserving players.” He was appointed in June last year on a one-year contract.
Uttarakhand team manager Navneet Mishra alleged that Jaffer picked players based on their religion and created a communal atmosphere.
CAU office-bearers distanced themselves from the allegations. When contacted, its secretary, Mahim Verma, said: “No such thing has come in front of me during camp or matches (allegations of communal bias).”
Verma had alleged that “Jaffer had been promoting players from a particular community and brought a Muslim cleric among the players for Friday prayers.” Jaffer refuted allegations of bias, saying “the communal angle brought in is very sad.”
The Uttarakhand state Congress has accused the BJP-led state government of communalising the sport.
“If the CAU would have raised objections on Jaffer’s coaching on merit or demerits then it would have been okay. But levelling communal charges against him is totally unacceptable. Under the BJP rule even a sport is being communalised, which is not healthy for Uttarakhand's cricket,” said Suryakant Dhasmana, Congress state vice-president.
